The Engagement
by TheGhostOrchid
Summary: Usui Takumi, king of the prestigious Northern Kingdom. Ayuzawa Misaki, a princess from the Southern Kingdom; infamous for being a tyrant amongst men. A story that began with an arranged engagement. T since I'm paranoid.
1. Prologue

A/N: Hi everyone. This is my first Kaichou wa maid-sama fanfic ever! To clear things up at the beginning, I'm not a very good writer and I get inspiration from random places so the plot may be cliché. Hope you enjoy reading :3

DISCLAIMER: unfortunately, I do not own Kaichou wa Maid-sama

**Prologue **

There was an infamous rumour amongst travellers: "if you were to meet the first princess of the Southern Kingdom, you will be eternally cursed to live a life of damnation." Rumour has it that she is the reincarnation of Medusa, with hideous features and snakes in place of her hair that can curse onlookers. Others say she was cursed at a young age to live with a heart as dark and black as the abyss itself. Many speculate on how an angelic queen can bear and raise such a barbaric child. However, those whom work for the royal family knows that although the princess may seem ruthless, she is in fact a capable person. When the king had mysteriously disappeared one night, the kingdom soon fell into a state of poverty. Fathers became unemployed and turned to relinquish their angers upon their wives. The princess was the one whom took the matters of the state onto herself and revert the kingdom to its previous state. She stood up for the abused female and became adored by those of her own gender while men cower at her mere presence.

Usui Takumi, the handsome young king of the Northern Kingdom. In his reign, he made his already prosperous country even wealthier, gaining the trust of all his people. It is said that his abilities in politics and combat are above those of humanity. Women swoon over him, yet he has never shown an interest to any women before.

The two rulers were the polar opposites of one another; therefore, when rumours spread of their engagement to each other, there was a mass uproar. It was a political marriage: the Southern Kingdom would gain the stability they needed whereby the Northern Kingdom would acquire more land. The people feared that if that marriage was to break, there would be war: "King Usui would never be attracted to such an atrocious princess. The marriage won't last!" Hearing the complaints of the commoners, it was then decided that the princess would stay in the Northern castle for a short period of time to see if the two are truly unfit for one another. If one of the two parties decided to call off the union, the relationship between the two kingdoms will remain as is. And thus, the story begins.


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: Chapter 1 is up!(the previous chapter was just a prologue hence it was short and summarized) Thank-you all for all the wonderful reviews 3 This is the fastest update ever in my entire life! And by the way, I made changes to the prologue: changed Takumi's name to Usui since the manga mostly referred him as that. Think of it as an etiquette to not call the king by his first name or something :D

Some clarifications:

"speech"

'thoughts'

_flashback_

* * *

**_Chapter 1:_**

There was a small, wooden tavern on the outskirts of town. It was not a big tavern; it can't be even called fancy at that. But it was unique: surrounded by trees of green and a field of blooming flowers, it gives off the atmosphere of a cabin in the midst of the woods. The interior contained two stories, the second overlooking the first as if it was a balcony. Inside this said tavern sat a group of people- fatigued from a longs day of work.

"Have you heard about the engagement? I never thought I'd see the day where the demon weds!" exclaimed an elderly man, clearly having too many drinks that night.

"I feel bad for the King Usui! Has he not heard the rumours about the demon princess?" added another.

"Princess Misaki is not a demon! She is a beautiful kind-hearted girl! I heard that the king of the northern kingdom is a dashing young man. He's lucky to have such a beautiful princess as his bride!" exclaimed a waitress as she sat down a bowl of food.

"Are all the women in this country bewitched?! The princess kind? Preposterous! Have you not seen how she treats all the men in this country?"

"I for one disagree. I am male and yet, I have to side with the ladies on this. I work for the royal family as a simple pageboy and I must say that if it wasn't for the princess, we wouldn't be here, chattering about and drinking to our lives content. We would still be in poverty- trying to feed our family with whatever little we have!"(A/N: imagine someone from the student council here)

"Simpletons. Do you not see what evil lies within this so called "political marriage"? It is a plot I say; a truly evil one at that. The demon princess truly lives up to her name! Once King Usui lays his eyes on the boorish woman, he will refuse the marriage and that wench will use it as an excuse for war!" a man had stated. He was the local blacksmith- a tall, burly man that has been rejected by Hanazono Sakura, the royal seamstress and the local beauty. (A/N: Refer back to the earlier chapters of the manga. I believe he was the captain of some sport and was rejected many times. Please tell me if you know his name.)

Upon hearing this, a petite "lad" with raven hair and chocolate brown eyes laid down his mug and walked over to the said man. "Interesting, what makes you say that?" he spoke with a soft voice.

"Do you not see the prospects of war? With war, the wealthy profits while the commoners suffer. Those so called "nobility" will be earning a fair amount through trading of armour and weapons. If the army invades, those scumbags will be long gone and we will be left to fend for ourselves!"

"The princess will never do that to us! If she was that type of person, the royal family would have deserted us when the late king disappeared 10 years ago!" the lad exclaimed.

Whispers and murmurs now filled the tense room- the exchange between the two had left a deep impression in the minds of all that is present.

"What does a dirty brat like you know about politics!"

With that, the lad could take no more and punched the said man. Taking of the hat that concealed "his" face, he said, "More then you ever would! How dare you spread such lies! You should be punished for your barbaric behaviour!"

A pin drop could be heard as the tavern was silent with shock- before them was Princess Misaki herself. When they finally recovered, the group of men that was with the now unconscious blacksmith yelled, "It's the demon! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" And with that they dashed out of the tavern with the unimaginable speed.

"I apologize for the inconvenience we brought," Misaki turned to the owner, handed her a small bag of silver coins, and left.

* * *

"Misaki? Seeing as you are wearing those clothes, is it safe to assume you sneaked out of the castle again?" Shizuko, the head maid, sighed.

"You know how people act when they see me; it is easier to gather information disguised as a man," Misaki stated. She had always known what the male population had called her behind her back. It was a reputation she was willing to bear if that made them well behaved.

"Misaki-chan, let me take your measurements. Queen Minako had ordered for a new gown to be made for your visit to the Northern Kingdom. We want you to look stunning during your visit," Sakura said. Moe flowers can be seen as she becomes lost in her fantasies.

"It doesn't matter how I look during the visit. It was the Northern Kingdom whom proposed this arrangement in the first place; I doubt they would go back on their words no matter how I look."

* * *

_A little past noon, Misaki quietly walked down the winding passage of the castle while glaring at the men to ensure that their duties were done well. Upon reaching a large, adorned door, she gently pushed the door opened and entered the room. The room had many windows with heavy drapes, a crystal chandelier hanging above a grand table located in the middle of the room. There sat Queen Minako and Princess Suzuna. Queen Minako, known to be kind-hearted to all, which Misaki often called it as defenceless. Princess Suzuna, the second princess was a quiet and possessed the air of a lady. She would spend her day reading, studying culinary or playing the piano._

_"Sorry I'm late, mother," Misaki politely said as she quickly sat across from her sister._

_"You're only a couple minutes late so there's no need to apologize. We are only here for brunch. Did the meeting go longer than expected?" Queen Minako asked._

_"Yes, there were a few issues that had to be urgently addressed." 'The minister of finance (A/N: picture the student council accountant) had misplaced the accounts that day and there was the issue of a drought in one of the boarding cities,' she thought._

_They sat in silence until, Yukimara, Misaki's advisor, stepped in with a letter in his hands. He quickly bowed to the royal family, apologizing for his rudeness, before handing the queen the letter stating it was the upmost emergency._

_"What's this? It's from the Northern Kingdom," Queen Minako said as she read through the contents of message, "Oh my! It seems King Usui wished to seek permission for Misaki's hand in marriage."_

_"WHAT?! How can this be? I never met with him before and he must have heard the rumours surrounding me." 'What is the Northern Kingdom scheming. Why would the king be interested in me when I'm known to be barbaric and uncouth?'_

_"It's said here that this marriage will be beneficial to both kingdoms. The Northern Kingdom desires more land and in return, they will bring stability to our country," Suzuna calmly stated after scanning over the contents of the letter._

_It seems as though hours pasted in silence before Misaki finally spoke, "Yukimara, write a letter to the Northern Kingdom stating that I accept the marriage."_

_"B-but princess, shouldn't you take more time to think this through?" Yukimara said hesitantly. _

_"He's right Misaki. You're my precious daughter and I wish for you to marry out of love and not for power."_

_"Mother, as a member of the royal family, I have to think of the people before myself. Right now, our country is in need of an heir and the protection," Misaki quietly murmured. She knew it was the right decision to make but deep inside her, she really wanted to reject the proposal. The idea of love was all but a fantasy; a dream she, as nobility, can never hope to achieve._

* * *

"Eh? That's not true! We must clear up any misunderstandings they might have had of your appearance," Shizuko blunted stated.

"I don't get why all the male population calls you a 'demon'. You are beautiful: you have such fair skin, luscious hair and confident chocolate hazel eyes! You are nothing like what the rumours describe you as!" Sakura retorted.

"Sakura, I may not have horn growing out of my head but I am not the beauty you describe me as," Misaki said as Sakura began to look through the pile of fabric.

"Should we go with an elegant pale gold or a sophisticated indigo?"

"What about that burgundy?" Shizuko pointed.

"True! We want you to look ravishing and the burgundy suits your skin tone!" Sakura exclaimed!

Hours seemed to have passed before Misaki was able to escape. Shizuko and Sakura had lectured her for hours on how she should behave during her stay. 'Seriously', she thought,' it's just for a month. It's practically a show for others; to prove that there will be no war. It doesn't matter whether there's love in this marriage. At that thought, she inwardly sighed. I wonder why the Northern king chose me as his bride though.'

* * *

Usui sat on his throne, looking bored. His advisors, had once again, begged for him to choose a different bride, spouting nonsense on how the Southern princess is cursed, and has the appearance so hideous that people will become blind at the mere sight.

"I have chosen her myself and it is final that she would become my queen," Usui firmly stated.

"But your highness, we beg that you reconsider! Even if you don't consider the atrocious façade of the Princess Misaki, this union will be more beneficial to the Southern Kingdom then to us, the Northern Kingdom!"

"My decision is final and do not bring this subject up again," Usui stated firmly. With one glance, the whole court was silenced. "Now will you excuse me, there are many things to prepare before the princess arrives for her visit." And with that, he got up from his throne and left.

Usui sat on his bed staring intently on an object in his hand. It was a locket made with white gold, embezzled with a garnet in the middle. Gently opening the locket as if the tiniest movement can break the fragile object, he smiled at the picture.'_Misaki._'

* * *

A/N: so I don't know whether to put my notes inside the story or in the footnotes since I sometimes find it distracting sometimes. And hopefully you like this chapter. I find the last part kind of rushed when writing this. So did Usui meet Misaki before? Why doesn't Misaki remember him? Please make a note of the locket (not going to spoil what it's for :P)


	3. Chapter 2

A/N: Yay chapter 2 finally! Just a warning, this whole chapter is basically plot-less and is just to introduce some characters. I'm not proud of this chapter since it's not really my style to incorporate so much dialogues without narration. Chapter 3 will be up soon, I promise 3 I have the whole story figured out (at least how I want it to end XD) and I just need to get it down on paper. Hopefully I can now update on a regular basis (this doesn't mean day to day though. Maybe once or twice a week).

AND THANK-YOU FOR ALL YOUR LOVELY REVIEWS! AND THANKS timmyluvs, Takumisa777 for telling me GOUDA's the name :D (if there are any other minor character names you know of, please tell me)

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Sakura readjusted her simple, pink dress as she sat in her small room, located inside the servant's quarter. From a young age, she had been living inside the castle. A knock was heard before a man entered. He was small and round; about the same height as Sakura herself. She quickly got up and greeted the said man.

"Father, did you wish to speak to me?" she sang in a sweet, innocent voice.

"Ah Sakura, Gouda came by earlier this afternoon; he was so flustered when he walked in! I was shocked that he came here to ask for your hand in marriage!" he said with a loud, booming voice.

"Father, you declined the offer didn't you?! Honestly, I rejected him a hundred times yet, he still has the nerves to ask for your consent," Sakura nervously asked.

"Sakura, have you ever thought that maybe you should accept his offer? I know very well that you do not have feelings for the said man and, although he may not be noble or the wealthiest, he does own a blacksmith shop."

"Father, please don't make me marry that man! I rather die!"

"I'm not asking you to accept the proposal right away but you do have to remember our circumstances. We are merely servants hired by the royal family as a tailor and a seamstress. This may be the best offer you will get considering what little dowry you have," he said in a tone that almost implied that she must be wed.

With that, Sakura ran out the door despite how improper it may be. _'This may be the best offer you will get considering what little dowry you have'._ Those lines resonated in her mind as tears, threatening to fall, welled up in her eyes. 'Stupid papa, you never consider my feelings,' she shouted in her mind, 'Not ever since mama died…' Not noticing her surroundings, she bumped into something warm and lost balanced- closing her eyes as she waited for the impact. It never occurred. Instead, she felt two muscular arms wrapped around her waist. Slowly opening her eyes, she saw two reddish-brown eyes staring into her own dark pinkish ones.

"Careful," he said.

By this time, Sakura was blushing furiously. She stumbled out of the young man's arms before she studied him with her eyes. He was a handsome, young man with spiky blonde hair. 'He must be a noble' she thought seeing the ways he's dressed. He caught her staring at him and smirked.

"Umm….thank you for catching me,"

"Just be careful next time," he said as he walked away.

"Wait! What's your name? I haven't seen you around that palace before," Sakura shouted behind him without thinking.

Without looking back he said, "Kuga Sakurai."

* * *

The capital of the Northern Kingdom was like a mountain. The base housed the less fortunate: with ruined buildings, crime, prostitution and families that can barely feed themselves. The higher up you go, the more beautiful the buildings become. Those situated on top were mostly nobles and wealthy merchants. The castle was a stone fortress that stood on the highest peak of the city, overlooking its civilians.

"It's so different," Misaki muttered. Back in the Southern Kingdom, the castle rested upon the edge of a beautiful lake. The whole capital was built around the lake to be precise; the people did not have to go too far of a distance to fetch a pail of water. It had been a week since they bid her family and friends farewell.

Letting out an inaudible sigh, Misaki smoothed an invisible wrinkle on her dress that Sakura had instructed for her to wear the day she arrives at the castle. In her opinion, it was unsuitable for travel, but did as she was told. It was pale green with golden, leafy embroidery and a tattered collar. A section at the back of the shirt was layered with pale gold frills.

"Princess, we have arrived at the Northern palace," Yukimara said as the carriage slowed to a halt.

She graceful stepped out of her carriage after a nervous looking guard announced their arrival. Clearly seeing shock and fear upon the servant's faces as she entered the door, she was approached by a tall, young man with the deepest green eyes she had seen.

"Welcome," he said, "To my humble home."

"The pleasure's all mine, your majesty," Misaki said while she curtsied.

"There's no need for such formalities. You must be tired from such a long trip. Your quarters are already prepared for you and I shall introduce you to my court at tonight's banquet. Please feel free to ask for whatever else you need to make your stay more enjoyable."

"I apologize for my rudeness but I would like to retreat to my quarters. There are matters of the state that I have neglected, during my travels, that needs my attention immediately."

"I should be the one apologizing as I also have matters of the state to attend to. The Emperor of the Western Lands is here and I must attend a conference to discuss future trading with him."

* * *

"Yukimara, you did what?!" Misaki said as she rubbed her temples in annoyance as she tries to soothe away her ever growing headache.

"Y-your highness, I-I'm sorry but I can't find the book on this month's expenses anywhere. I must have left it at one of the inns," Yukimara said seemingly to shrink away.

"Idiot! Didn't I tell you to look after the account book carefully?" An aura comparable to that of a demon can be seen surrounding her as she spoke. "Write a letter to the Minister of Finance, to tell him to send me a copy at once!"

"Y-yes…"

"And who is that whispering outside my door! They should be working during this hour of the day!"

"Hey we should just go to the brothel. All this cleaning is boring." a man with blonde hair and multiple piercings said. His name was Naoya Shirakawa, also known as Shiroyan.

"What if we get caught? I heard Princess Misaki is currently residing in the castle. We'll be cursed if she saw us!" answered Ikuto Sarashina ("Ikkun").

"That demon will curse us whether we work or not! Let's just let the female maids do the cleaning. Besides, we're just helpers." replied Ryuunosuke Kurosaki (Kurotatsu).

"Would you three gentlemen enlighten me about this 'demon' you spoke of?"

"Haven't you heard…" they replied as they turned around; suddenly shivering in fear as they saw a demonic form engulfing Misaki. "What was it that you were saying about leaving all the chores to your female counterparts?! Have you no shame asking these delicate women to do YOUR load of work?!"

"R-run!"

"Get back here you!" Misaki yelled as she chased after the trio.

"Interesting. So this is the infamous princess of the southern lands," a smooth voiced said as he smirked at the scene before him.

"My Lord, King Usui is waiting in the conference room for you. Is there something here that holds your interest?" A man dressed in a silky black suit said as he bowed. His eyes were closed giving him an appearance of a sly fox.

"Maki, it seems that our little business trip just got more interesting," he said as he slowly walked away.

An hour passed before she caught the three and dragged them to the head maid. The others were shocked to see the infamous idiot trio surrender to a mere girl. On that day, a new rumour had started to spread amongst the male helpers in the castle; gaining her a more notorious reputation. Meanwhile, the female population had started to grow a respect for her since no one had dared to discipline the three in the past.

* * *

So I assume everyone knows who was spying on Misaki? Hopefully I haven't lost too many readers with this chapter but I HAD to introduce some major characters some how. And once again thank-you for reading.


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: Hey everyone, I am terribly sorry for not updating earlier. To be honest, I finished this chapter a day after the previous one was put up but I was so busy with work that I kept delaying editing this. Sorry for any OCC-ness in Usui's character or any grammar mistakes. And thank-you once again for your lovely reviews; you guys are my motivation to write and keep updating!

* * *

**Chapter 3:**

She told herself to calm down as she indignantly stormed down the long corridors. 'Stupid perverted outer-space alien,' she silently cussed.

* * *

_-Flashback-_

_It was a quarter after two, a warm summer breeze was felt as Misaki walked through a small garden hidden behind an isolated courtyard; she discovered this place not long after her arrival, when she sought out a comfortable place to read._

_"So it seems you discovered this place." Usui stated as Misaki turned around to come face to face with the King._

_"I was not aware that this place was off limits. The maids had told me that your majesty had granted me the privilege to use any room in the palace."Misaki said, hoping she had not angered her host._

_"Do not fret; you are free to visit this place whenever you wish. I was just shocked to see another person here. You see, this place is my favourite place in this whole kingdom, a place where I can be alone," he said as he plucked a burgundy-colored rose and spun it around his fingers._

_"So how do you think of my country? I know this is your fist time leaving the Southern Kingdom; a kingdom filled with beaches."_

_"You have a beautiful country, quite dif-"Misaki stopped midway as she saw another man approach the two._

_"Ah- King Usui. I was wondering where you were. The maids told me that I might be able to find you here. And who is this lovely lady that's with you?" Tora said as he walked towards the two._

_"This is Princess Misaki. Misaki, this is Tora Igarashi, Lord of the Western Kingdom. He has come to discuss trading matters with our country," Usui said, slightly annoyed that they were interrupted._

_"So this is your lovely finance," he said as he grabbed Misaki's hand and planted a kiss on it, "It's a pleasure that we finally meet."_

_Blushing slightly, Misaki replied "The pleasure's all mine."_

_Looking at the flower Usui had plucked, Tora snatched it away from him much to Usui's displeasure._

_"The roses here are quite pleasant,"Misaki said as she smiled a little bit._

_"For you," Tora said as he gently tucked it behind her hair, startling her. "Did you know that burgundy symbolizes beauty? A beautiful rose for a beautiful young lady."_

_Unaware of the dangerous aura surrounding Usui, Misaki was blushing furiously now._

_"Excuse me, Lord Tora, but if you do not have any important issues to discuss with me, I would ask thee to leave since me and MY fiancé would like time alone together," Usui stated while he glared at the said man._

_"Actually, I wouldn't mind if he stayed. I have never once been to the western kingdom and have much to ask!" Misaki said._

_"Misaki, we did not get the chance to speak to each other since the day of your arrival. Think of it as a chance to get to know each other better."_

_"Then I shall excuse myself. My advisor must be worried about my whereabouts," Tora interrupted._

_ Making sure Tora is out of the hearing range, Usui turned back to Misaki and watched her eyes linger to the disappear into the castle._

_"Your majesty, you didn't have to ask him to leave. It's not like were discussing anything important."_

_"Is it wrong to want to spend time with my beloved finance?" Usui said with a pout._

_"This is an arranged marriage. We don't need to actually need to know each other; we are mere actors, and the people of our nations are our audience. This engagement is the play and our advisors, whom had suggested my stay, are the playwrights."_

_With a serious face, Usui walked towards Misaki- she tried to back away but he trapped her in his embrace._

_"Misaki, when I purposed this engagement, I wanted us to be a 'real' couple. I was thrilled to hear that you would be living here-so that I may have the chance to court you," he said with a serious expression, leaving no room for interpretation._

_"Let go you pervert! You don't even know me! Why choose me out of all those women out there? Even I'm not blind, with your striking features you can easily get any women you want!"_

_Misaki placed her hand on his chest attempting to push him off her to no avail; he was too strong for her. She was stronger and more skilled then most of the knights in her kingdom yet, for the first time in her life, she felt weak and overpowered._

_"So you really don't remember…" Usui said._

_He felt hurt; his heart is like a mirror that has been shattered into a thousand pieces. He slowly released his grip on her. 'Have you truly forgotten about our past?' he thought solemnly._

_She used this chance to punch him in the guts._

_'If mother had seen this, she would surely scold me about etiquette and how improper it was to treat my host like this.' She thought._

_"Will you excuse me, your majesty, but I do not think you are in the right mind at the moment. If you think I am one of those courtesans that work in a brothel, then I believe you are mistaken."_

_And with that, she left him standing in the middle of the garden._

_-End-_

* * *

"Princess Misaki, I was just looking for you. But why such an expression? No gem in the world, would be able to compare to a smile upon your face. If I may ask, what or whom is the cause of the hateful expression on your face?" King Tora said.

"It's that stupid perverted alien! Ah- Where are my manners. Forgive me for my rudeness," Misaki said.

"It seems to me you are unhappy with King Usui. I may be portrayed as a villain asking this but it is a role I am willing to play," Tora knelt down on one knee and asked, "I know you have prior arrangements with King Usui, but I will be damned if I do not ask for your hand. Pardon me if I had crossed you, but I must say that since you are only betrothed to King Usui for the good of your nation. The Western Kingdom can provide you with the same benefits as the Northern Kingdom-if not more- and I will treat you well if you were to become my bride. You caught my eye the first time I saw you in that garden; you were more beautiful than any flower I have seen. You do not have to reply immediately, but I do hope I can get an answer before I depart back to my Kingdom," Tora said with a gentleman smile.

He left Misaki standing in shock.

Little did she know, Usui was hidden in the shadows of the intersecting corridors, hearing every word that had been spoken. He had followed her shortly after she ran off-hoping to make amends with her. 'Tora, just what are you planning?' he thought as his mind was in a state of turmoil. If there was ever a man that made him want to slowly murder in the most gruesome fashion and curse to suffer in the deepest, darkest pits of the abyss, his name would be Tora Igarashi. Slipping his hand into his pockets, he brought out a locket; handling it as if it was made of glass. 'Misaki, please don't leave me…'

* * *

A/N: So please correct me if I'm wrong about what a burgundy-colored rose symbolizes (I'm not an expert at this) and/or tell me if it even exist in that time period since I'm not sure if it's genetically modified to get that particular color. And yes, I know Tora's pick-up lines are super cheesy xD


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N:**

Reading all your lovely comments recently, I noticed that some people say my story is really similar to "Marriage in Power." I'm not quite sure whether that was a positive or negative review. Please do not take offence in what I am about to say. Firstly, I apologize to the author and readers of "Marriage in Power" if my story does seem to have some resemblance. But please try to understand that I am not trying to copy anyone's work. I, myself, am a big fan of "Marriage in Power" and cannot hold a candle to Lolidragon97as their historical accuracy and writing style is amazing. This may seem to be a lie, but whether you believe it or not, I wrote the prologue without reading "Marriage in Power" and was shocked to see the similarities myself. It took me a long time before I considered continuing writing chapter 1. I thought about making Misaki disguised as a maid and working for Takumi but I decided against it thinking that would now make my story similar to "The Maid is a Princess!"; another great work. I tried my best to make sure that my plot line will be different, even if they're both historical fictions. I personally love historical fanfics and novels; thus, I chose to write one. Please don't stop reviewing my story because of this rant; I will accept any reviews with open arms whether they are positive or negative! A person can only hope to improve with criticism.

* * *

**Chapter 4: **

"Did Lord Tora, the Ruler of the Western Kingdom, just ask for my hand in marriage? Surely he has heard of my notorious reputation; I am not elegant nor am I graceful. And love-at-first sight? I do not believe in such and am sceptical of his feelings towards me! But from what I've heard from the travelling merchants, the Western Kingdom is prosperous and will do us good if we can trade with their nation. Plus, he seems to be more of a gentleman than King Usui…But a man, -er- woman, should always honour his words and I did have prior agreements with the Northern Kingdom; my reputation will be smeared if I should take back my words. However, The Northern Kingdom did say that our business agreement will hold even if one party revokes this engagement…Yukimara! What shall I do?!" Misaki stated as she paced back and forth in her quarters.

"Um... both Kings are rather charismatic and seem quite capable. Princess, allow me to ask this but whom do you fancy?" Yukimara asked. It wasn't every day his princess have proposals. And he does wish for his Misaki to find true happiness rather than marrying for power.

"Argh! I do not know! I have only met both Lords recently! Lord Tora seems to be more temperate in comparison to that perverted outer-space alien of a King!"

"Perverted outer-space alien? Is that the name bestowed upon me by my lovely princess?" Usui said as he stood by the open door. "Pardon my intrusion, but seeing as you did not come to brunch this lovely afternoon, I was worried about your well-being."

"King Usui!" Yukimara bowed.

"How long have you stood there? Is it a tradition for your kind to disallow the privilege of privacy towards your guest?" Misaki asked when she recovered from her initial shock.

"Sorry for my rudeness, but I just happened to hear your conversation. And my advice is to close your chamber doors if you wished to be freed from prying ears," Usui stated as he chuckled under his breathe.

Suddenly looking serious, he inquired, "Misaki, do you wish to revoke our engagement? Do you fancy King Tora?"

"So you've heard about King Tora's proposal…"Misaki sighed.

"Words travel faster than the swiftest horse. Please clearly think this through and do not let his façade cloud your judgement. I have known him for years, as our nation's trade frequently. He is not the man you see him to be-but a snake, cunning and cruel as he hunts for his prey," He said solemnly.

"If such a gentleman is a snake, then you must think of me as Eve; succumbing to the temptations of a snake," Misaki retorted, "Why do you care what my impression on him is? Our union has nothing to do with our trade agreement, if I may remind you."

"So it doesn't but you must understand this, I truly do care about you and it pains me to have you taken away from me," Usui stated.

"I do not understand. We have known each other for less than a week. Truly you do not believe in the notion of 'love-at-first-sight'?"Misaki said.

"I do not. And this isn't our first meeting."

"What do you mean?" Misaki was truly confused. _'…this isn't our first meeting.'_ 'What does he mean by that? Have we met somewhere before? If we had, I should surely remember seeing how I would not let such a good opportunity for trade pass.' Misaki thought.

A noble lady with dark-coloured hair and fair skin, wearing a dress made of fabrics of the highest quality and adorned with gems of the rarest kind walked in with her lady-in waiting; whom has blonde hair and is equally beautiful; interrupting their little dispute.

"Your Majesty! I did not know that you were here! Am I interrupting a lovers' quarrel?" said the lady.

"Lady Satsuki, what brings you here?" he asked.

"I was just wondering if Princess Misaki would like to join me and a couple other noble women for afternoon tea. We would very much like to be acquainted to our soon-to-be-queen," she said as moe-flowers seem to bloom behind her.

"It seems your presence is required elsewhere," Usui said as he turned to face the door, "but please do think about what I have said."

"Misaki-chan, it seems we haven't been formally introduced ourselves. I am Duchess Hyoudou Satsuki and this here is my lady- in-waiting, lady Honoko. She is the daughter of a wealthy merchant." Satsuki said.

"Pleasure to meet you. What brings you to the palace?" Misaki asked.

"It's social season! Of course all the nobles will gather at the castle. A couple other ladies you love be acquainted with you over a nice cup of tea." She beamed.

"I thank thee for your offer as I would love to meet the other ladies," Misaki replied.

* * *

"Misaki-chan, let me introduce you: the lady in the green dress is Countess Sabaru, the one with the wavy brown hair is Marchioness Erika, and the one in the pink dress is my nep-niece Lady Aoi."

"Please to meet your acquaintances."

"We are happy you could join us for tea. Excluding the duchess, we have never travelled to the Southern Kingdom and would love to hear stories from your kingdom!" exclaimed Erika.

"Lady Erika, please refrain your voice. You husband would not like it if you were to act improper within the palace grounds," Sabaru said.

"No need to worry about proper conduct. No one will disturb us in this parlour," Honoko stated, "So Misaki-chan, please do tell us about your kingdom. We have heard a lot about your heroic deeds from the palace maids here."

Hours passed as they merrily exchanged stories about their family and kingdoms. Soon the clock struck five and the other ladies excused themselves as they're husbands came to fetch them. Misaki was left by herself for once; letting her current dilemma consume her thoughts. It wasn't until Yukimara had come in to give her a message that King Tora requests her presence tomorrow afternoon that she was aware that nightfall was upon them and she spent hours fretting over her issue.

* * *

"My lord, I beg your pardon for my rudeness, but may I inquire why you desire Princess Misaki?" Maki inquired.

Walking towards the windows-his back facing his attendant- he looked up upon the stars. He raised a cup of wine he was holding to his lips and emptied the content. Maki walked towards his lord and poured another glass for him; as if obeying an unsaid order.

"Your impudence shall be forgiven. Love? Tis' not. Her physique is common and she has the tongue of an ogre. Yet she strangely intrigues me. Women are all the same-lacking in logic and common sense. They spend hours fretting upon how to decorate themselves and dreaming the impossible; as they should as they are merely a decoration-a display for the gentry. Yet this girl hath taken upon the duties of a man!" Tora replied.

Nodding his head, Maki understood his lord's intentions.

"Tis' a game of conquest! Ladies flock and swoon before my sight. I have grown tired of easy women."

"Milord did not have to ask for her hand if that was the case. Marriage would forever bond you to her."

"Aye. However, if you consider the current state of her lands, marriage is a small price to pay. If I am not mistaken, her husband is to inherit all her lands. I would be the lord of both countries simply speaking a vow I do not intend to keep- you see Maki, a man may have as many concubines as he wants, and his woman, cannot dare to speak a word of protest" Tora smirked.

"So that is your plan," said a silky voice.

Tora turned around calmly and is met with the face of an angry king.

"If it isn't King Takumi. Tis' the most improper to eavesdrop," Tora said.

"It seems it has become a habit of mine. So tell me, thy confession of undying love was just an act and Misaki is a stepping stone?" Usui asked, annoyed by the man before him.

"Is the mighty Northern King jealous? At least I had the courage to pursue my dreams. You, on the other hand, is a mere coward- your "engagement" can be compared to the story of Orpheus and Eurydice," Tora said.

"Orpheus' love for Eurydice was a fake, while my love for Misaki will never falter," Usui retorted.

"Aye, but Orpheus placed his own life before Eurydice just as you are placing your countries wealth before the princess. If you truly loved her, you would've thrown me out the instant i confessed- regardless of how such an act will jeopardize the trading between our countries."

"Tis' naught because of your status I have not expelled you from setting foot in my country, it is because I place Misaki's happiness before mine; if she chooses to be with you and you, yourself, cherishes her, I would have said nothing and wished you all the best. However, now that I have confirmed your ill-intentions, do not believe I would just sit quietly on my throne- even if it meant war between the Western and Northern kingdoms!" Usui declared.

"A tragic ending for a pair of lovers. It is unfortunate that Misaki WILL agree to my proposal by this time 'morrow," Tora said as he laughed and walked past Takumi.

'Tomorrow,' Tora thought, 'I will woo the ignorant Misaki and take her as my bride. Tomorrow, my dreams of conquest will be a step further. Tomorrow will soon come but tonight, I would have a sweet dream of what is to come.'


End file.
